Confessions of a Wedding Photographer

I Love being a wedding photographer, it's the icing on the cake in the wedding business (in my opinion that is). There are so many pros to the business, but like any job there are always a few cons.

PROS:
1. You're there for the whole wedding day process. The bride getting her hair and make up done, the bridesmaids oohing over their beloved friend in her white dress. It's a special time.

2. Then you go over to the guys, joking around with the groom that his life is over so he better take another shot. These guys can be so entertaining. :P

3. The first look is my favorite! Being able to share and witness that moment between the bride and groom is so powerful to me, I start crying behind my lens. Doesn't matter if I just met you an hour ago, or if I've had an engagement session with you before your wedding, I cry. If the first look is at the alter, I can bet half of your guest will tell you they saw a tear roll down my cheek, if it's before the vows, you will/have personally witnessed my tear streaked face. Ah, water works are forming just thinking about it!

4. My favorite part is seeing the love story unfold... Stealing those moments with the bride and groom to get alone photos are the best. Watching them exchange the brightest of smiles, sharing light kisses, and whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears, its precious! 

5. The reception is a highlight! I love food! I love trying all the different foods that are offered at the wedding, I mean who doesn't love eating a great wedding dinner? And ummm cake, duh!

(This was the biggest cake at a wedding I've seen! It was pretty awesome!)

6. Cake smashes aren't just for babies.

Nope, grown ups do it too, I'm still trying to learn how this tradition was started....

7. Dancing is fun, you can be an amazing dancer, or have two left feet, throw a few drinks in you and you're the next Michael Jackson. My favorite is the "Wobble." I love it! It's not a wedding without those group dances to get all your guest out on the dance floor! If your DJ plays the "Wobble" and your guest do not know the moves, never fear, I'll get out there, camera equipment and all and dance with your guest. No shame in admitting this. Those of you reading this who have booked me for your wedding, beware, those of you who have witnessed it, yup, no shame!

Weddings are a celebration, and I'm blessed to have a career that allows me to celebrate with people and capture their love story! 

This is me in action, a guest of this bride and groom took a photo of me taking a photo, I love it!!!!

CONS:

1. Weddings are on the weekends and there comes a time when you're going to have to miss things. It can be a down fall, but it's in the job title. However, missing some very big events can really crush a person. This year, two of my life long guy friends are getting married and I have weddings booked on both of the dates that they selected and it's not their weddings I have booked. Confession: when I learned of their dates and knew I had weddings, through the tears I considered quitting and canceling all my weddings and drop out of the industry for good, I never felt (still feel) guilty for missing these two amazing guys (and their incredible brides) weddings on the count that I'm working someone else's big day. After some time, I finally came to terms that this is in the job title, things like this happen, as awful and heart breaking as it is. Thankfully, they are both pretty cool friends and have pushed their times back so I can hopefully make it to some of their receptions and dance with them! ("Wobble") of course! 

My two tall summer grooms! I can't wait to make it for as much as your weddings as I can!

2. You get yelled at by your friends. Well not yelled at really but they do get a little frustrated planning out activities months ahead of time. (My planner and I are close friends, can't double book.) My bridesmaids are having a hard time planning my bachelorette party because they can't surprise me, I have to be told what weekend I can't book a wedding or shoot. My dear mother is sad she can't make my bridal shower a surprise because of my job. But then you get the friends that call you from their wedding venue and say, "Hey Erin, so the venue has this date and this date open, which one can you do?" I love phone calls like that, totally makes my day to know they want me there that badly. :) Then when we pick a date they yell at me to put it in the calendar so no one can take their date for a wedding or shoot! To all of my friend who have done that  to me this year, I gave all your wedding dates away! Just kidding! :P 

With all of this, I love what I do, and I wouldn't give it up. In fact, I love wedding photography so much I joined a one stop wedding service as a wedding photographer, so now I'm not only shooting my businesses' wedding but adding on double the weddings this year with this other business I joined. Whoo! Can you guess what I'll be doing all summer? The answer is not going to the beach, it's going to weddings every weekend, even twice in one weekend and there are a few three day wedding weekends! AH, CAN'T WAIT! I have two weeks till it's wedding season for me officially and I'm over the moon excited! Stay tuned this summer to hear about the wedding business!

www.erinlynphotography.com